Researching your market can be hard. The real question is not how you find out what people truly think about your business it’s do you really want to know? It can be quite easy to carry on with your day-to-day activities and not give a thought as to whether you’re making the most of opportunities out there. Or whether there’s another business at your heels ready to snatch away your customers or most prized employees. It is easy, but it’s also dangerous. To understand how to move forward, you firstly need to understand where you are now and at Limpet, we can help you clear the way.
As marketers it is important to us that we understand your audience. What makes them tick? Why do they choose to buy from you? What don’t they like? What would they really like to be offered in the future? By understanding these and many other key factors, we can paint a picture of what your audience looks like and how we should position your business to maintain and build upon their custom.
The same applies to employees. If you have a good team and you want to keep them, then you need to understand what motivates them to stay and generally it’s not just their pay cheques! A motivated team also results in a higher standard of customer service, which in turn will deliver a more secure and financially sound future for your business.
A fully synchronised research campaign
We don’t believe in just sending out surveys, getting them back, looking at them and that’s it.
Instead we develop a fully synchronised research campaign. The first stage is to sit down with you and decide who we need to contact, the best approach to do that and what needs to be asked.
The second stage is to design a creative ‘hook’ that will reinforce the reason for undertaking the research at every possible opportunity. And by that we don’t mean stating that you thought you better do it before you lose them all! By a ‘hook’ we mean creating a strong and forceful message that will give your audience a reason to take part – a benefit that applies to them and not just you.
Following up on the results
This creative message is developed into a visual representation that is used on the first and follow-on communication material to your audience. Whether we send out letters, hard copy surveys, emailers, results leaflets, bulletins or thank you notes, the creative message is maintained and used within support material such as adverts, posters and mailshots. This approach ensures that at every juncture you are reinforcing in the minds of your audience your commitment to undertaking the research, to understanding the findings and to delivering the solutions.
If research is to be valued by your audience, it must have a purpose and must be seen to have made a difference. That’s why it is crucial
that any promises you have made are upheld. So if you’ve told the participants that their opinions matter and you will listen, then you must demonstrate that you have done just that.
At Limpet we are happy to simply (well it’s not that simple) design a survey if that’s what you want, but we’d prefer to create a plan of action which involves following up on the results. We have the expertise to implement and manage the complete campaign including: creating and designing hard copy, HTML or phone surveys; analysing the results; presenting a report with recommendations; communicating out the results and; assisting in the planning and delivery of the recommended solutions.
We also have a trusted partnership business which provides expertise in recruiting, holding and reporting the results from focus group studies. Again with the aim of better understanding your audience, so that you have the knowledge needed to strengthen your business and optimise your position in the market.
Dragons Wharf, Moston, Sandbach, Cheshire. CW11 3PA T:01270 750482